


Desperate Times

by owlmoose



Category: Dragon Age, Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Canon-Typical Violence, Demons, F/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-29
Updated: 2011-12-29
Packaged: 2017-10-28 10:16:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/306828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlmoose/pseuds/owlmoose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After she loses in battle to Danarius, how far will Marissa Hawke go to get Fenris back? An alternate outcome to the Act Three quest "Alone".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Desperate Times

"No!"

Marissa Hawke shouted the word, loud in her ears but otherwise lost in the cacophony of battle. The crash of blades, again and again-- the shrieking of the Shades as they piled atop Fenris, who howled in rage and pain-- Isabela screaming her battle cry somewhere in the distance-- Anders, toppled in a limp pile, half-dead at her feet, Varric crumpled beneath him-- Hawke scrabbled in her pack for her last bottle of lyrium, but it slipped out of her sweat-slickened hand and fell, shattering as it hit the floor. In the corner by the door, Danarius raised his fist and tightened his fingers, calling out the words of a spell. Instantly, bands of magic fell over her and squeezed, slamming her hands against her sides, pressing all the air out of her lungs. She struggled against her prison; then her heel struck a puddle of something, most likely blood, and she was falling, falling, falling, the edges of her vision going black, her head thumping the edge of a table as she went down.

The battle was over. They had lost.

"You see, my little wolf." Danarius waved his hand in the air again, and the shades backed away, revealing Fenris, hands and knees on the floor, covered in blood and bruises, the his markings fading from blue to white as his strength ebbed away. "You should have known that you could never defeat me. Now come home, or your mistress dies."

"No," Hawke tried to say, but she could only mouth the word, held motionless, voiceless by Danarius and his magical prison. Fenris lifted his forehead from the ground and turned his face toward her, his eyes fathomless wells of sorrow.

"If you spare her, I will come," he said; Hawke shook her head, but he only looked away, bowing his head as he accepted a hand up from Variana, who had somehow appeared at his side. She spoke a few words, apparently a spell of healing, since he stood straighter, pulling his hand free to walk under his own power. But his shoulders were bowed, his head hung low, and he shuffled toward the exit, not looking at Hawke, not speaking a word.

"No," she whispered as the door shut behind Variana, behind Danarius, behind Fenris, the only man she had ever loved walking away forever. The click of the door was a slam in her ears, in tandem with word beating against her chest. "No," she said again, louder this time, stronger as she struggled to her feet. "NO!" It became a scream, rent straight from her heart, her head thrown back as she cried the word to the heavens with all the power she could summon, tearing her out of this world and into the next, a call to whatever forces might hear, might be able to help her bring him back...

 _Yesssssss..._ It is a hiss, a whisper, a purr, a rumbling in her ear. _You seek aid, and aid I shall provide._

Hawke's head snaps back to level, and she is in the Fade. The Hanged Man is empty here, chairs and tables back in place, no longer scattered and splintered across the floor. As she turns, a Rage Demon slinks out of the hearth, glowing red and orange with unholy fire. "You... you can help me?"

The creature nods, speaking aloud in a wild, rough voice. "I can give you the power to tap into your anger. You've always been driven by anger; let that force fuel your magic, and you will be unstoppable. Even against one of the great magisters of Tevinter."

She reaches out, her hand bathed in the fire of the demon's righteous anger; it tickles her fingers with its mighty heat, all the power she'd ever wanted within her grasp; why had she been so afraid of taking it? All her enemies dead, freedom for Fenris, for the mages, for her brother...

"STOP!"

The command comes from behind, and then the fire dissipates as a bolt of ice whisks past her cheek and slams into the demon, freezing it sold; the ice is followed by a blast that shatter the demon into a million pieces. Hawke whirls on her heel and glares at Anders, at Justice, who stands there, scowling at her as he pulls his staff back upright.

"YOU MUST NOT DO THIS," he says in his deep, resonant voice. "WE DO NOT DEAL WITH DEMONS, NO MATTER THE REASON."

Hawke narrows her eyes. "You don't understand. This is my only chance to save him. Danarius is getting away!"

"WE WILL HELP YOU." Justice's chin lifts, and his eyes glow with that unnerving pure light. "BUT NOT IF YOU CONSORT WITH DEMONS. Hawke." The voice shifts, softens, becomes the lighter tones that mean Anders, and though the glow does not fade, she can sense the change in his body language as he steps forward. "Think about it. This is _Fenris_. I doubt he'd even want to be saved if the price were a deal with a demon. Maker's breath, he barely puts up with us!" He taps his chest and shakes his head. "We'll find another way, Hawke. I promise."

She can still feel the demon, whispering into her heart. _Let go,_ it says. _Let your anger take control. You'll never have to worry about losing your temper, ever again._ But its words ring hollow now; she wields the truth of Anders's reminder as a shield against the temptation, and then she banishes the creature with a tap of her staff. With a howl, it melts into the floor, a scorch mark the only sign of how close she came to losing herself in a moment of weakness.

Squaring her shoulders, shaking her head free of the last web of the demon's offer, she turns to face Anders-- no, Justice, says the hardness around his eyes. "Why are you here?" She steps closer, narrowing her eyes. "Just to lecture me about working with demons? Something tells me you wouldn't be too sorry to see Fenris gone."

"BUT YOU WOULD." Justice nods at her. "FOR THE SAKE OF FRIENDSHIP, ANDERS HAS COME TO YOUR AID. AS FOR ME, ALL SLAVERY IS AN INJUSTICE, A FREED SLAVE RETURNED TO BONDAGE DOUBLY SO. I CHOOSE TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION."

"Fine. I believe you." Hawke jerks her head to the side. "But they're still getting away. I can feel Fenris through his the lyrium traces, and they're weaker every minute."

"THEN WE FOLLOW THEM THROUGH THE FADE," Justice replies. "WE HAVE SUMMONED MERRILL, AND SHE WILL JOIN US SOON. ARE YOU READY?"

Hawke clenches her jaw as she lifts her staff to her shoulder, then nods. "Let's go hunting."

**Author's Note:**

> Basically appeared whole one night when I decided I needed the answer to the question asked in the summary. Initially posted on Tumblr, then cleaned up to repost here. I haven't yet decided if the story wants to be continued; I could really go either way with it. I suppose time will tell.


End file.
